PEORIA, Ill. — After a year in which its arena went dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Peoria Farm Show (GPFS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a return to the Peoria Civic Center (PCC) from Nov. 30-Dec. 2. A fixture since the PCC’s opening in 1982, the GPFS will return with a slightly smaller but optimistic assortment of vendors than in years past. 

The reason for the optimism? Higher commodity prices, along with a year away from kicking the tires on the newest farm machinery, will have farmers in a buying mood this fall, according to GPFS show manager Ron Bormaster with Farm Shows USA-Midwest Shows Inc.

“We’ve got about 185 exhibitors this year” said Bormaster, acknowledging that vendors are slowly reintegrating to the in-person farm show environment, while dealing with a shortage of manpower available to staff their exhibits. In that respect, the GPFS is no different than other farm machinery exhibitions whose organizers are looking for ways to augment the typical, tried and true farm show format. 

In the case of the GPFS, these changes include more of an emphasis on farm production seminars, pesticide licensing training, product giveaways and other unique offerings.

“We’ve got lead analyst Todd Hultman from DTN doing our seminars for us, giving his market outlook for 2021-22 (daily at 11:30 am in the PCC lobby),” said Bormaster. “And for our 40th anniversary we’ve got Spartan giving away a brand new lawn mower. They’ll be doing a ride-and-drive inside the civic center.  Anyone who takes a test-drive of a zero-turn mower at Spartan exhibit will be included in the drawing held on Thursday afternoon (Dec. 2).”

Also new: pesticide license testing will be offered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture from 8 am to noon and 1-4 pm on Wednesday, December 1.  The testing will be offered on a walk-up basis, with pre-registration not required. 

In addition, complimentary coffee and rolls will be served each morning at 7:30 am, and Alwan Meat Company will return to offer their annual producer appreciation lunch menu for only $5.50 after $2 off coupon (available at the show). The daily $1,000 ShowBucks drawing, sponsored by Illinois Agri-News will also be returning, with drawings held at 1 pm Tuesday through Thursday. Showbucks currency can be used to purchase merchandise or services from any GPFS exhibitor.  

Farmers are going to be shopping for “a little bit of everything” when the GPFS returns to the PCC, Bormaster predicted. “I think with corn prices being up, with bean prices being up, it will make a big difference in how farmers spend their money,” he said. 

Bormaster predicted that it will likely take time before the GPFS, along with comparably-sized farm machinery expos across the country, return to full strength after more than a year and a half of cancellations and adjustments due to COVID-19 advisories and lockdowns. He noted that shows as large as this year’s Farm Progress Show in Decatur are likewise dealing with the reluctance or the inability of some vendors to return to the live show format. 

But like they said in the early days of vaudeville, the show must go on. And if it will play in Peoria, as the vaudeville-era saying goes, it will play anywhere.

“We are excited to be back this year and also celebrating 40 years of The Greater Peoria Farm Show,“ said Bormaster. “The Greater Peoria Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural trade show in Illinois and one of the biggest events of the year at the Peoria Civic Center with hundreds of exhibits, presentations, free admission, complimentary coffee and rolls and more. It’s a great end of year ag event.”